How to keep cats off your counters?

Have you ever wondered about the best way to keep cats off your counters? This post will share with you reasons why cats love counters and how to stop them from that unwanted behavior.

If you have a cat, then you may have noticed their feline attraction to your counters. These might be the counters in your living room, the kitchen counters, bathroom counters, and every other high surface.

Why are cats attracted to counters?

There are many reasons cats love counter surfing. First, they love heights and will love jumping to and from any height frequently. Cats also especially love kitchen counters because they often smell so good.

There are so many tempting things they can try to eat and if they don’t regularly clean off debris from the counter, the crumbs they find there can keep them returning to the area. Finally, cats love fresh running water and may turn your faucets into their drinking source.

Dangers of having cats on your counters

Nevertheless, having your feline friends take control of your counters is a huge risk. First, there’s a chance of contaminating your food and theirs. Cats walk with their paws in their litter boxes and then on your counters. So they can spread germs and bacteria to your food.

Second, kitchen counters often have hot stoves which can be accidentally stepped upon. They can also inhale the residue from the chemical cleaning products which is not good for them. Hence you should take steps to keep cats off your counters.

Steps to keep cats off your counters

Generally, there are three main things you must do to keep cats off your counters. It’s best to use all three techniques at once, although you have multiple options under each technique.

1.Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is important to train your cats to avoid your counters without any negative fallout. The first step is understanding why they love climbing counters which we already discussed. Again, there’s a possibility a family member had rewarded the cat for being on the counter which can also become an obstacle to getting them off the counter. So you need to ask the question – if I want my cats off the counters, what would I have them do instead?

Consider providing vertical posts for your cat such as a cat tree and rewarding her when she jumps on it. If you don’t have room for a full cat tree you can install a perch or shelf by a window, so they can have a spot to themselves. Other alternatives you can try include cat toys, at least one good play session a day with you, and outdoor enclosures.

2. Get rid of temptations

It’s important to get rid of temptations on your counters. This includes dealing with dripping faucets and cleaning up thoroughly after cooking. You can also block the views outside, as cats often love to look outside from countertops. You can also consider closing the door to your kitchen while you are preparing foods there to keep them from coming in. However, you should at the same time, set him up with fun toys to play with as well.

3.Cat deterrents

Cat deterrents work by making your counters uncomfortable for cats thereby discouraging them from climbing in the future. Here are options to choose from:

• Apply sticky tape to the edge of your counters. Cats dislike sticky tapes and will stay away from your counters after feeling them. However, you might need more than one or two tries to have them learn to stay off in the future. Another downside is that cleaning up the adhesives can also be a challenge. Plus some cats may try to outsmart you by finding ways to avoid the edge.
• Tape a strip of crinkled aluminum foil along the counter. The noise and feel of crinkled aluminum can keep them off. But this method might become disruptive and wasteful.
• Use a chemically-formulated repellent.You can also use chemical repellents that can be sprayed on your counters and other surfaces. These repellents work by odor and taste and will discourage cats from returning to those areas. However, you want to ensure that the repellent you choose does not cause harm to your cat or pose a health risk to your family.

Fortunately, Nature’s MACE offers a unique cat repellent spray that is made from all-natural and non-toxic ingredients. This repellent spray lasts just as long and will not harm your pets, or your entire household. Combined with positive reinforcement and alternative climbing areas, you can effectively correct that unwanted behavior without creating a negative relationship with your pets.

Keep cats out of the yard

Petsafe Cat Repellent

Buy the Best Cat Repellent

Get rid of stray cats

Best Electronic Dog Repellent